The life and funeral sermon of the Reverend Mr. Thomas Brand Dr. Samuel Annesley

¹His Preaching was remarkable, both in what it was not, as well as in what it was. It was not with enticing words of Man's Wisdom, He did as industriously avoid as others do industriously study Declamations for Sermons; He took more pains for his Sermons, both on his Knees, and in his Study, then most others, that he might Preface all he said with, thus saith the Lord.

1. 1Preaching.

He constantly kept one day in the Week, little other ways than a Fast for his Lord's-day's work: He would never offer either ⟨p. 31⟩to God or Man what cost him nought; His Praying was always fervent, his Preaching always clear and vehement, his words well fitted to his Matter, and his Matter well chosen for Conviction, and persuasion, for Conversion and Edification: And when did he Preach any one Sermon without some of these Effects? Bear with this Digression, to give you a single Instance of Advice he some Years after gave to a young Preacher. You will need a double Portion of the Blessed Spirit to guide, and ⟨p. 32⟩bear you up against the Temptations you will meet with from the snareling World. 'Tis hard to be lifted up by the Lord and not to lift up our selves; your Watch must be constant, and your Prayers frequent and fervent, or you will forsake your first Love, and wax careless and carnal; — and afterwards warned him against two extremes, viz, Pride and Diffidence, saying, if Ministers were to Preach before a learned and large Auditory, they were too apt to be diffident, more concerned at the Presence of Man than of God, and on the other hand, if the Assembly was popular and mean, and did appear affected; how hard do they find it to subdue Pride. But to return, God blessed his Labours where-ever he went, a special Presence of God accompanied him ni all his Undertaking: For he Preached as well out of the Pulpit as in it; ⟨p. 33⟩